Tag: Workers

RadioActive 12/4/14

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Solidarity Rallies for Fast Food Workers Day of Action and Black Friday Protests at Walmart; Second El Salvador Municipality Bans Mining

Key Discussion Points:
a) The Community Union of Ellsworth and Hancock County talk about local rallies in support of national movements to raise the standar of living for low wage workers. Black Friday demonstrations focused on Walmart workers,and December 4th was a day of action with fast food workers.
b) The Community Union also speaks to the importance of supporting the striking Fairpoint workers, who have no financial safety net, and who continue their daily pickets.
c) Salvadoran activist speaks at the Penobscot Nation’s River Justice event on the importance of organizing to protect the environment.

Guests:
A) John Curtis, Community Union of Ellsworth and Hancock County, ph: 667-
B) Edith Portillo, CRIPDES, stopesmining,org
C) Cori Ring-Martinez, translator, US El Salvador Sister Cities http://elsalvadorsolidarity.org/

WERU News Report 10/28/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Sarah Bigney, Mobilizer with the AFL-CIO and UMaine Political Science Professor Amy Fried’s presentation, “Election 2014: How It Matters for Maine and the Nation” at the University of Maine last week.

Today’s show includes excerpts from the presentation. The full program, including the question and answer session that followed, is also archived here.

This lecture was part of the Marxist & Socialist Studies Lecture Series at the University of Maine, which is also sponsored by Maine Peace Action Committee, the Division of Student Affairs, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. These lectures have been held every semester since 1987.

WERU News Report 1/7/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Part 1 of 2

Individuals/groups that were in the news on WERU in 2013, look ahead to 2014. Today: Chris Buchanan of Stop the East-West Corridor, Sarah Bigney of the AFL-CIO, Ron Huber of Friends of Penobscot Bay, Ilze Petersons of the Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, Judy Berk of the Natural Resources Council of Maine

WERU News Report 5/1/13

Producer/Host: Larry Dansinger

Program Topic: Views of May Day/International Workers Day by Maine Youth

Key Discussion Points:

a) What May Day means to those interviewed
b) How interviewees saw the status of working people in Maine and the US
c) Where there are problems for working people, what interviewees thought could be done to solve them

Guests:
A) Alex Jackimowicz
B) Katrina Bisheimer
C ) Jessie Dowling

WERU News Report 3/23/11

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributor: Marge May

**NOTE: There are a few seconds of hissing sound at the beginning of this audio file before the show starts.**

Segment 1: Local Food and Community Self-Governance Ordinance of 2011

These ordinances have now been passed in Penobscot and Sedgwick, and been defeated in Brooksville voters by a margin of just 9 votes. The town of Blue Hill will be voting on the issue on April 2nd. For some background on the movement, WERU’s Marge May spoke with a local farmer Heather Retberg, owner of Quill’s End Farm in Penobscot. (Note: This interview originally aired on WERU’s “Women’s Windows”)

Segment 2: Local News Headlines
As hundreds of workers rallied in support of unions in Augusta yesterday, Governor LePage has ordered that a mural depicting labor history in Maine, be removed from the lobby of the Department of Labor. He has also ordered that conference rooms bearing the names of heroes of the labor movement be renamed…
At a statehouse news conference earlier today, sportsmen, lake advocates, and experts on wildlife, water quality and fisheries decried legislative attacks on Maine’s natural heritage (LDs 1, 156, 159, 219, 341, 434, 872, 888, 1022 and 1031)…
A group of small business owners and the Maine Small Business Coalition, held a press conference in Portland yesterday, ahead of the Maine Bureau of Insurance’s public hearing on Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield’s proposed rate increase on individual health insurance plans…
Animal Welfare Advocates to plan to Lobby State Legislators at the Capitol Tomorrow…

Segment 3: LePage TV
Governor LePage– well known for avoiding talking to media or attending debates when he was on the campaign trail, now has his own TV show. “Inside the Blaine House”, which premiered this week, is hosted by Chamber of Commerce employees and stars the Governor himself… (Time Warner Cable TV and www.MaineVOD.com)

Voices 10/26/10

Executive Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Contributing Producers: Meaghan LaSala, Larry Dansiger

Segment 1: Local Workers Groups Hold Campaign Rally Opposing Gubernatorial Candidates Eliot Cutler and Paul LePage. Recorded by Meaghan LaSala
Segment 2: “Why Vote?”, an episode of the short-feature “Outside the Box”, produced by Larry Dansinger.

Weekend Voices 10/25/08

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Contributor: Carolyn Coe

Topics:

Segment 1:  Helen Lindsay, a part-time Mainer, talks about her recent trip to Iran with the “Fellowship for Reconciliation”.  Produced by Carolyn Coe.  FMI: www.forusa.org

Segment 2: We talk with Brent Hall of the Brewer-based group “Food & Medicine”, about the events they have scheduled for this evening: Their 2nd Annual Haunted House and Harvest Festival featuring “The Humble Farmer”, Robert Skoglund.  From 5- 6:30pm they will hold tours through “Maniac McSame’s Mansions of Mutation” where vile plans are being devised to steer America down the wrong course. “In each of his many mansions, McSame is committing crimes against healthcare, affordable housing, and worker rights, all the while mutating to look strangely like a prominent US political figure from Texas.”  Later there will be live guitar and mandolin from Orono duo Larry LeBlanc & Adria Elskus, fall children’s games (from MSEA-SEIU childcare workers), and local, seasonal, delicious food.  The guest speaker will be distinguished Maine humorist Robert Skoglund, “The Humble Farmer”. Skoglund is known throughout Maine and the US for his 29 years on public radio, his quick Maine humor, and hilarious “rants”.   All ages are welcome.  Admission is free, donations will be accepted to benefit laid-off workers through the Solidarity Harvest.   Location: 20 Ivers St., Brewer, ME  FMI:  207-989-5860 or www.foodandmedicine.org